WE ARE READY TO LAUNCH

Well, I finally cooked my last crock pot meal for my work crew.  They had Stew this Saturday and now it is time to put the crock pot away for a while.  I'm looking forward to Bar-B-Q. 

The crew have finished painting the boat, plus they installed the new drive shaft packing and prepped her for launch. Ropes, Fenders batteries, etc. etc. etc are all set. 

The hangar was busier than usual this weekend.  Balu was getting new bottom paint.  

And Cam Lo was putting the final touches on Lo Tide and asked us to let him know when we are launching as he would like to travel with us from Gimli to Boundary Creek Marina.  

He installed a new engine over this past winter and will not be confident in it until he has put some hours on it.  Best to be safe than sorry. 

Dan even found time to take our Bumpers and steps down to our dock and install them, so that is even done.

All I have to do now is check the weather forecast, pick the launch date and book it with Barb, let Cam know and ............

WINNIPEG BEACH HERE WE COME!. 

DIY: MAKING ANOTHER WINDSHEILD COVER

A couple of years ago I made a windshield cover out of "SunShade".  It is a fine screening that blocks out a good percentage of the suns rays, but it still allows you to see out.  It has worked out very well, keeps the boat from getting over heated, on most summer days.  But on a real scorcher of a day, the pilot house can still get too hot.  

The other problem is privacy.   When we have guests staying over and sleeping in the pilot house you can see right in,  when the lights are on at night.  So they have to get dressed and undressed in the dark. 

So this spring I am going to make one of these covers out of the blue "Sunbrella", which is what all my other canvas covers are made of.  It should be a matter of simply copying the existing one.  

I THINK THAT WILL HELP TO KEEP IT COOL AND PRIVATE

THE PREP IS FINISHED, THE PAINT IS GOING ON

The hull and bottom painting were finished a couple of weeks ago.  And today, Dan and Ken finally finished the last of the sanding. It seemed to go on forever.  

 

 Today they started putting paint onto the superstructure of the boat.  They got two full coats of paint on, but some of the repairs are still showing through so I guess it's going to need some more.  So the plans of this being the last work weekend are not to be.  

We will be working one more weekend.  The Boat still needs at least one more coat of paint.  Plus, Dan still has to replace the drive shaft packing.  We also have to re-rig our lines and bumpers.  

I GUESS WE CAN GET THROUGH ONE MORE WEEKEND.  

OUR FINAL WEEKEND IN THE HANGAR???

This may be our final weekend stuck in the hangar.  If all goes well and we get all the white paint onto the boat on Saturday and Sunday, then I will book our launch.  

I have certainly seen enough of the hangar, and all the painting and am anxious to join our friends and relax in the harbour as soon as possible. 

We were surprised on the weekend to find out that our dock mate Bob Inkster has had a mild heart attack and spent a few nights in the hospital to be stabilized.  But, he is out of the hospital now and he says we will see him at the marina on the weekend.  

You will see US at the marina sometime on the weekend as well.  We will be bringing our boarding stairs and our bumpers down and install them on our dock in preparation for our arrival. 

 We may still have some odds and ends to complete on the boat, but nothing that can't be puttered with throughout the summer.  

I'M SURE LOOKING FORWARD TO IT

BOATING??? ON THE LONG WEEKEND.

The crew accomplished a lot more again this weekend.  We are almost at the end of the sanding and prepping and the bottom paint is on the hull.  

 

We are still not quite ready to put paint on the super structure.  That will start happening next weekend.  

 

We went to the marina "Ice Breaker" on Saturday and had a Hot Dog and visited with friends.  

 The marina is filling up fast.  Misprint's new owners pulled her back into her usual spot today. 

Our empty dock looks forlorn, but we will bring our steps and bumpers down next weekend.  And get them installed. 

NOW IS THE TIME TO THINK ABOUT BOOKING OUR LAUNCH DATE

PREPPING FOR THE LONG WEEKEND

Well my daughter "TraciBeth" is willing to keep Sea-Enna for two sleep overs this coming weekend, so that is taken care of.  

Now it's on to pre-preparing meals for the workers for two nights on the boat.  Yesterday I made Chili for the Crock Pot.  That's in the fridge waiting to be put in the Slow Cooker, and add the beans to be simmered all day.  

Today I assembled a meat and pasta casserole that I will put in the Convection Oven on Sunday. That should keep the work crew happy for the weekend.  It's the least I can do, because I am useless when it comes to prepping the boat for launch.  

My real work begins once we get to Boundary Creek Marina, then I do a thorough cleaning of the boat from stem to stern.  

THE WORK AND THE COUNTDOWN CONTINUES.  

     

HOW ARE WE DOING SO FAR??

Ken and Dan are still hard at it working on the boat.  We are not nearly ready to launch yet, and it's a good thing, as we are behind a lot of other boats,(see if you can see the Thunderbird), but that is about to change.  

They are moving boats out of the hangar fast and furious.

  

It is fascinating to watch.  It's amazing how Ed can pluck a boat out of there between all the other boats.  But then he has been doing it so long it's second nature to him.  

We got a lot accomplished again this weekend.  The hull has been scraped and masked and it ready for bottom paint.  

Next weekend we should be able to get the Port side of the boat prepped for paint as well, and maybe get the first of the paint on.  

I GUESS NEXT WEEKEND I SHOULD BOOK OUR LAUNCH DATE.